Help! Bottle aversion!

[SassyPants87]

14 week old now has bottle aversion! It’s all my fault trying to force feed him as he dropped 2 percentiles and now he will just scream every time the bottle goes near him.

i’m day 2 of doing the Rowena Bennett bottle aversion guide. Has anyone else done this before? If so please can you just help reassure me, I feel like throwing in the towel! I know first few days are going to awful and feel like I’m going against what is best for him but in the long run will hopefully be better

i think we have had a step back day today (more sleeping than feeding). His i stake so far is worse than yesterday, trying not to freak out!

His intake*

I know this thread is months old just seeing if your baby got any better?

Hi! I’m waiting to hear back from a lactation consultant but I think my 10 week old has bottle aversion as well. She only feeds while drowsy when her guards are down. If she’s fully awake she will never take the bottle or breast. I just bought the book, waiting for it to come Friday. What does it entail? Do you have to starve the baby?

@Newmom33 you don't starve the baby you just take off pressure to feed. Not sure how it works with breastfeeding as the book is aimed at bottlefed babies but the idea is you do not offer the bottle
More than twice in one sitting and respect their cues. A lot more to it. Good luck xx

Thanks! Did you do this method yourself? Yes I’m mostly bottle feeding.

@Newmom33 my baby started to show signs of aversion so I followed the book and still do tbh with my second. The first few days there will be a reduction in intake but eventually the idea is that when they learn to trust you again they consume more. It helped us as my LO was showing conflicted behaviour coming on and off the bottle etc. so now I offer the bottle once when feeding, wait 20 mins and offer again, if she doesn't take it, I spill so am not tempted again x

Hey all so just to update this thread we followed the Rowena Bennett method and resolved the aversion! It’s quite anxiety inducing and baby’s milk intake will be very low for a few days but after that, once baby didn’t feel pressure to feed his volumes went up again And happily took his bottle too. We’re now 11 months and weaning off the bottle but I was conscious to apply ZERO pressure when we started weaning so we went down baby led weaning and now he eats brilliantly and has 2 bottles a day.
I will say though, that my baby was never a massive milk drinker and even after solving the aversion he would never drink more than 20-25oz a day (before weaning). I came to accept that some babies are just not big milk drinkers and you have to trust they will take what they need.

I promise it will get better you just have to stick to the programme and don’t stray from it at all! There’s also a very helpful Facebook group where the admins give you lots of advice when it comes to following the programme

Thank you so much for the update! I have ordered the book and will be in tomorrow. I will be starting asap.

Can I ask how long it took for your baby to go back on the bottle happily?

@Newmom33 its a 2 week programme but we saw improvements around day 4 and after the first week was happily taking his bottles. Good luck, and I highly recommended the Facebook group x

I've just come across this post after frantically googling. We've start the Rowena Bennet method, it's killing me.
What's the name of the Facebook support group recommended?

@HFSP Baby Care Advice Feeding Aversion Support Group

Good luck, the first days are tough.

I’ve just ordered this book and was frantically trying to find threads on it. @SassyPants87 did your LO always only take 20/25oz? I’m struggling to get my baby to 20oz and my HV says “you’re not feeding her enough” which led to me offering bottles all the time which I think has now created an aversion 😭

Hey @99SR !! Yep my little one only took between 20-25oz EVER!!! And it was more like 20oz and that was AFTER doing the Rowena bottle aversion method. But I just had to trust that he was taking what he needed. Around 10 months he was pretty much done with milk bar one bedtime milk so I agreed with health visitor and dietician it was just best to take his lead and let him get his calories from food.

he’ll never be the biggest baby but he loves food and eats plenty of it. He’s happy and healthy 😊. Don’t get me wrong I was an anxious mess when I was in the thick of it! But it will get better I promise! Follow the method and be really strict with following it all.

Thank you! She’s took 20.5 today and that’s the most she’s taken since last week. Im filled with worry that she’s not getting enough. The book arrives tomorrow so I’ll read it then!
thanks for your help!

I worked with szilvia she is the bottle aversion coach, look her up on instagram and she will help you, she helped me!

Hey. Just curious how long until volume started going up?? I’m on day 7.

In my personal experience my baby must just not have enjoyed milk. Even after using this book (which worked massively!) she would only take about 26oz (on a good day). I’ve since spoke to professionals who said not to go on numbers and to go on if your baby is happy and content. I wish I had have been more relaxed. I actually think this lead to me having PPA! Please try not to worry about numbers. Aslong as your baby has had something they will be fine. In my humble opinion lol. Goodluck!